PRESIDENT’S NEWSLETTER May 2014 Welcome Inside this issue: WCF Events 2-3 Event Hosts 4 Media 4 Development 4-5 MA News 5-6 Deadlines 7 The curling season has now come to an end in the northern hemisphere, and what an incredi- ble past few months it has been. The Sochi Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2014 provided the platform to showcase our sport to the world once again and I must congratulate each and everyone involved in the Special points of those events for contributing to an unforgettable experience. interest: Both events highlighted to millions of people around the world, not only the athleticism, skill and strategy involved in our game, but more importantly the ‘Spirit of Curling’ which makes Sochi 2014 roundup our sport so special. ( p2) In addition to the success of Sochi, new Junior, Women’s, Men’s, Mixed Doubles and Senior World Championships world champions were crowned. Roundup (p2-3) The last few months, and indeed the season as a whole, have been incredibly busy. However, it Host confirmed for is refreshing to see the amount of energy and passion evident in all aspects of our sport, which several WCF events has helped curling develop during our time in the spotlight. (p4) I was also delighted to receive a letter from International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Olympic Celebration Thomas Bach inviting me once more to serve on the IOC Programme Commission, and re- Tour update (p4) cently a further letter appointing me to the IOC Olympic Agenda 2020 Ethics Working Group. MA Roundup of post Sochi activity (p5-6) You will be able to read more about each competition and the operations of the World Curl- ing Federation (WCF) in our Annual Review which will be published for the 2014 World Curl- ing Congress in Reno, USA in September. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy reading this latest newsletter and remember, you can read more about each story by clicking on the headline. Page 2 EVENTS May 2014 Newsletter Sochi 2014 Congratulations to all of the medal Sochi 2014 proved to be a huge suc- winners at the Sochi 2014 Olympic cess. Russia put on a first class and Paralympic Winter Games. Games and I’m sure everyone who A special mention must go to the was there and everyone who success of the Canadian teams in watched at home will agree. Sochi. They picked up gold medals in Special thanks must also go to the both the Olympics (men & women) thousands of volunteers who dedi- and Paralympics - the first time any cated their time to making this one nation has won gold medals in all of the most successful Winter three competitions. Games in history. At the Olympics, in the men’s event, As the dust settles on the 2014 Great Britain picked up the silver Olympics and Paralympics we are medals while Sweden won bronze. now already planning for the future, In the women’s event, Sweden re- with preparations for the 2018 ceived silver and Great Britain won Olympic and Paralympic Winter bronze. Games in Pyeongchang, Korea al- ready underway. In the wheelchair curling competi- tion, Russia took silver - their first Pictured - Canada’s three gold medal winning ever Paralympic Winter Games med- teams. Right - Canada women and men al, and Great Britain won bronze. Photos: WCF/Michael Burns. Below - The Canadian wheelchair curling team Photo: Alina Pavlyuchik The Sochi 2014 Gold Medallists - Canada Photo: WCF/Richard Gray World Women’s and Men’s Curling Championships Shortly after the Paralympic Winter Games, the Ford World Women’s Curling Championship 2014 got underway in Saint John, Canada. Switzerland (pictured right), with a team skipped by Binia Feltscher, won their sec- ond major championship title of the season (Swiss men are reigning European Cham- pions). Canada picked up silver while Russia won their first ever World Women’s Championship medal as they secured bronze. Following the Women’s Championship, the CPT World Men’s Curling Champi- onship 2014 took place in Beijing, China, the first time that the Pacific-Asia region has hosted a World Men’s Curling Championship. More curling history was made in Beijing. Thomas Ulsrud won a world championship for the first time with his team from Norway (pictured right). Sweden took silver Top photo: WCF/CCA/Michael Burns and Switzerland won bronze. Bottom photo: WCF/Richard Gray May 2014 Newsletter Page 3 World Junior Curling Championships Flims, Switzerland hosted the World Congratulations to Switzerland men ship, although they were hosts in 2006. Junior Curling Championships 2014 for who won the gold medals, while Scot- Russia women won bronze. the third time. land took silver and Norway bronze. Special thanks go to the Flims Waldhaus Although I couldn’t be there in person, In the women’s competition, Canada Arena, their staff and all of the volun- WCF Vice-President Bent Ramsfjell women won gold as they defeated silver teers who yet again proved to be first reported his delight at the level of com- medallists Korea, who qualified, by right, class hosts of international curling petition evident amongst the top junior for their first World Junior Champion- events. curlers from around the world. The World Junior Curling Championship 2014 medal winners Photos: WCF/Richard Gray World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship Switzerland finished off the season by claiming another World Championship title by winning the 2014 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Dumfries, Scotland. This win was even more special for the Swiss as this event was the largest participated in the history of the World Mixed Doubles Championship, with a total of 34 teams partici- pating from around the world. Sweden picked up the silver medals while Spain won their first ever World Championship medal by winning bronze. We will shortly be submitting our bid to include the discipline of Mixed Doubles Curling in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games to the IOC, with their decision likely to be taken next spring. Switzerland’s Reto and Michelle Gribi, World Mixed Doubles Curling Champions 2014 Photo: WCF/Richard Gray World Senior Curling Championships Congratulations also to Scotland women (left) and Canada men (right), winners of the 2014 World Senior Curling Championships, held in conjunction with the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in the Ice Bowl in Dumfries, Scotland. In the women’s event, Canada picked up silver while USA won bronze. In the men’s event, Sweden took silver and Aus- tralia won bronze. This joint event was the largest ever staged by the WCF, with 74 teams and over 200 athletes in total. Sincere thanks to Dumfries for hosting such a fantastic event, and to the local organising committee, all the sponsors and not least the hundreds of volunteers all of whom contributed to the success of all three of these world championships. Photo: WCF/Richard Gray Page 4 May 2014 Newsletter Hosts announced The WCF announced several hosts for events over the coming seasons. We’re looking forward to returning to Basel in Swit- zerland for the World Men’s Curling Championship 2016. Tallinn, Estonia, will host their first World Curling Champi- onship in the form of the World Junior Curling Championships 2015 (28 Feb-8 Mar). Denmark will host the European Mixed Curling Championship 2014 in Taarnby Curling Club (13-20 Sep); the 2014 European C-Group will be held in Zoetermeer, Netherlands ( 6-11 Oct) and the European Junior Curling Challenge 2015 will be hosted by Prague in the Czech Republic (3-8 Jan). The World Wheelchair Curling Qualification Event 2014 will be hosted by Lillehammer in Norway (1-6 Nov). The new Tallinn Arena in Estonia will host the World Junior Curling Championships 2015 Photo: KADARIK TÜÜR ARHITEKTID Media During the past three months, more trainee journalists and photographers have joined us at our events. Taylor Craig, from Canada, attended the Ford World Women’s Curling Champion- ship 2014 in Saint John, Canada. You can see some of her work on the WCF website: http://bit.ly/latvia1yearon Trainee photographer, Celine Stucki (pictured left), from Switzerland, then joined us in Beijing for the CPT World Men’s Curling Championship 2014. You can see some of her work on the official event website: http://bit.ly/wmccgallery DEVELOPMENT Olympic Celebration Tour (OCT) As part of the WCF’s OCT programme, all of us to keep up with the action in New Shannon for making them such a great 2010 Olympic silver medallist Cheryl Ber- Zealand. success in the Pacific-Asia region. nard visited New Zealand for three tour Another OCT took place in Japan with If you would like more information about stops over 10 days. 2006 Torino bronze medallist Shannon the Olympic Celebration Tour visit: These stops included eight sessions with Kleibrink, with Tour Stops in Hiroshima http://bit.ly/wcfolympictour over 280 beginner and novice curlers. and Aomori. Over 50% of those who attended were The numbers of participants attending school children. both events was also very good and they In one of those areas, six new teams have ranged from beginner to experienced curl- already registered with more teams ex- ers, aged from 13 to 76 years of age. This pected to register for the school champi- is just another example that curling is a onships. sport for all ages. Local media and the local clubs published The WCF would like to thank the organis- numerous articles and photos through ers and volunteers who helped stage these their social media accounts, which enabled two OCTs and of course to Cheryl and Canadian Olympic silver medallist Cheryl Bernard took part in a hugely successful OCT of New Zealand Photo: New Zealand Curling Association Page 5 May 2014 Newsletter Development Assistance Programme (DAP) The DAP application period for the MAs should note that all projects 2013-14 season is now closed.